Thursday, August 17, 2017

Heart Sight and Cut from the story Heart and Sword

First, Heart Sight, coming in December, is now out of my hands. I've done the last edits.

Celta Thursday:
CUT FROM THE STORY HEART AND SWORD PUBLISHED IN THE COLLECTION, HEARTS AND SWORDS!
This is when the genius Randolph Ash is talking to the Captain (hero) Kelse Bountry. They are still fighting the Ship For Ourselves dissidents.

The doors slid open and Fern walked in. Kelse’s insides constricted at the her beauty. Her hair stuck up a little and she wore a heavy robe. "Kelse?"

"We can’t survive on the Ship longer than nine months," he said.

Randolph Ash groaned quietly.

Fern closed her eyes. After a couple of seconds, he said, "You know what we must do."

An echo bounced off the walls. Fern had said it in unison with him. Kelse’s brows went up. She lifted her lashes. Her smile appeared better, even though she rubbed her hands up and down on her robe under the wide lapels. Tactile Fern. How he loved her.

He couldn’t concentrate on that right now. Had to keep up battle mode. "We’ll find a place. I’m sure of it."

Kelse’s couldn’t believe that. Fern had always been a terrible prophet. Which reminded him. "Maybe we should wake Magus ."

Randolph had bowed to Fern, but now turned his attention back to Kelse. "Who’s that?"

Fern’s chuckle was low. "I’m not a good prophet, but he, Magnus, is. The best prophet we have in the cryonics tubes."

"Oh." Randolph shifted. Only once, but Kelse knew him by now, eyed him narrowly.

"Morale is going to be tough. The Ship for Ourselves Party will contnue to win over others. Glowing prophecies of success would help."

"They’d reassure me," Fern said.

"We can’t afford to lose hope," Kelse said.

"Ah, well, we have Granny Vine as a prophet." Randolph glanced at Kelse. "She’s actually one of you. A descendant of a sleeper." Randolph frowned. "Maybe even this Magus. Her son is named Magus."

"And I haven’t heard of her because?" Kelse asked.

Randolph shot out his chin. "She’s one of us, that is, she’s a member of the Ship For Ourselves party. Wants nothing to do with you sleepers."

"Ah. That sounds like consequences of Magus’ actions, all right."

"I’d like to see her," Fern said. "Do you think she’d visit with me?"

"I think she loves almond cookies," Randolph said. "She’s talked about them over the years. Nothing was ever as good as almond cookies."

Now Fern’s smile lit her eyes. "I think we can do that, at least half a dozen."

"You know the ingredients for ship to make them?" Randolph asked incredulously.

"Of course."

"Even with the cookies, she won’t make up a glowing prophecy," Randolph warned.

"I wouldn’t want to hear a false one," Kelse said, but he prayed there would be good news.